Town Hall Meeting To Address Possible Precinct Closing

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(Memphis) Memphis Mayor AC Wharton and Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong are set to discuss the possible closure of Raines Station Wednesday night during a town hall meeting at Berean Missionary Baptist Church on Raines Road at 6:30.

“He said if we don’t do something this year, we might have to look at that next year,” said Mayor AC Wharton about what Armstrong is considering. “What we have is the council approved a budget. Everybody knew there were going to be some things that nobody would want to do and of course now, nobody wants to claim that budget.”

Wharton said closing a precinct is an absolute last resort. He said they have no plans on doing so.

Councilman Harold Collins said he knows that the council asked for Director Armstrong to cut more than $6 million from his budget but Armstrong made a promise.

“You can pull the tape and hear the director say the cuts that are going to take place would not affect public safety and personnel,” said Collins.

Raines station services most of Southwest Memphis and had the most calls of all precincts in 2011.

Director Armstrong realigned precincts in 2013 to even out call volume, but Raines was still predicted to be one of the busiest.

“I’d be interested to hear their rational and reasoning for wanting to close one of the busiest and most needed precincts in the city of Memphis,” said Collins.

News Channel 3 will have a crew at the meeting and will have more tonight on News Channel 3 at 10.